NEW YORK – Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers has been voted the 2011-12 winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, named after the second commissioner of the NBA and presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association and given annually to the player, coach or trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community.

Gasol has been a tireless worker worldwide on behalf of various UNICEF causes. He has been a UNICEF Ambassador for seven years and traveled the globe working with programs aimed at nutrition and education for children.

“Pau’s work epitomizes all that is good about NBA players and their charitable works not only in their own communities but around the world,” said Doug Smith of the Toronto Star and the president of the Professional Basketball Writers Association. “Working to help children realize their potential and to provide them with opportunities they might not otherwise get truly characterizes outstanding service and dedication.”

The PBWA comprises approximately 150 writers for newspapers, Internet services and magazines, who cover the NBA on a regular basis. Its members nominate finalists for the award; the other finalists this year were Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks, Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks, and J.J. Redick of the Orlando Magic.

ALL-TIME NBA J. WALTER KENNEDY CITIZENSHIP AWARD WINNERS

Season       Winner, Team

1974-75      Wes Unseld, Washington

1975-76      Slick Watts, Seattle

1976-77      Dave Bing, Washington

1977-78      Bob Lanier, Detroit

1978-79      Calvin Murphy, Houston

1979-80      Austin Carr, Cleveland

1980-81      Mike Glenn, New York

1981-82      Kent Benson, Detroit

1982-83      Julius Erving, Philadelphia

1983-84      Frank Layden, Utah

1984-85      Dan Issel, Denver

1985-86      Michael Cooper, LA Lakers

Rory Sparrow, New York

1986-87      Isiah Thomas, Detroit

1987-88      Alex English, Denver

1988-89      Thurl Bailey, Utah

1989-90      Doc Rivers, Atlanta

1990-91      Kevin Johnson, Phoenix

1991-92      Magic Johnson, LA Lakers

1992-93      Terry Porter, Portland

1993-94      Joe Dumars, Detroit

1994-95      Joe O’Toole, Atlanta

1995-96      Chris Dudley, Portland

1996-97      P.J. Brown, Miami

1997-98      Steve Smith, Atlanta

1998-99      Brian Grant, Portland

1999-00      Vlade Divac, Sacramento

2000-01      Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia

2001-02      Alonzo Mourning, Miami

2002-03      David Robinson, San Antonio

2003-04      Reggie Miller, Indiana

2004-05      Eric Snow, Cleveland

2005-06      Kevin Garnett, Minnesota

2006-07      Steve Nash, Phoenix

2007-08      Chauncey Billups, Detroit

2008-09      Dikembe Mutombo, Houston

2009-10      Samuel Dalembert, Philadelphia

2010-11      Metta World Peace, L.A. Lakers

2011-12      Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers